Grinding machinery



Api'il 16, 1929. A, KEARNS 1,709,671

GRINDING MACHINERY Filed May 51, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet l M k\\\\\\ I I M gwoemtoc April 16, 1929. V KEARNS 1,709,671

GRINDING MACHINERY Filed May 51, 1927 v s Shee ts-Sheet 2 April 16, 1929. B. A. KEARNS GRINDING MACHINERY 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed ma 51, 1927 Patented Apr. 16, 1929.

. 1,769,671 [TED STATES -P TENT OFFICE-.

BERNARD A. KEARNS, CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO CINCINNATI GRINDERS IN- CORPORATED, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO. n

' enmnme MACHINERY. 4

Application filed May 31,

This invention relates to improvements in grinding machinery andhas particular reference to novel and improved mechanism :for

steadying the work piece during grinding.

. Prior to the present invention it'has been customary in the grinding of work pieces in cylindrical'grinders to support the work as between headstock and tailstock members,

and to brace the work during grinding by grinding-1 wheel tends to spring the -'work away, so that less stock will terminally removed from the work piece. On

eicentrally than .the other hand, if thesteady rest be. set up too tight the rest tends to spring the work in toward the grinding wheel more at the center than the ends, with the result that more stock is centrally removed and the piece again is not of true cylindrical form.

1 It is therefore one of the purposes. of the present inventiorrto provide an improved I steady rest mechanism which may be adjustedto apply a'proper supporting pressure to the work piece, but i'n'whichthe application of pressure willbe through 1a compensating mechanism tending to keep a constant con- 1 tact between work piece and rest and at the same time a balanced pressure condition, preventing inward springing of the work.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a stead'y rest mechanism which may be eithermanually or automati-. cally controlled to apply a continuous pres-' sure to a work piece.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a mechanism which will satisfactorily support a work piece against both the feeding pressure and the cut pressure of grinding wheelwith a balanced force substantially equally distributed between the work engagin members. Y I

Another ob ect of theinvention is thepro- 1927. Serial No. 195,187.

vision of an adjustable mechanism whereby work pieces of different sizes or diameters may be satisfactorily engaged or'supported without varying the position or ac ion of movement of the actuating means therefor.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention should bereadily apparent by reference to the following specificationutaken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, and it will be under'stood'that :I may make any modifications in the specific structural details hereinafter disclosed within the scope of the appended claims, without departlng from or exceeding the spirit of the invention. 1

' Figurel is a side elevation of my improved steady rest in position on a grinding machine.

Figure 2 is a central sectional view therethrough.

.-Figure 3 is a view in elevation, showing an 7 automatic control mechanism therefor:

Figure 4 is a vertical section throughthe automatic control mechanism.

Figure 5 is a section through a steady rest ment than that shownin Figure'2.

Figure 6 is a plan view of-a grinding-ma- 4 chine with my improvements applied thereto,

and

Figure v7 is a vertical section taken as-on 1.

theline 77 of Figure '6.

views, the letter'A designates the work sup? porting table of a grinding machine which is disposed inopposition to the grinding wheel B. C isa work piece supported in opposition to the grinding wheelin any'conventional manner. The supports for the work piece as shown may for example comprise the usual grinder headstock D and tailstock member E. p The steady rest mechanism thus is designed to brace and support theportion of work in opposition to the grinding wheel B to-take up both the thrust of feed and the cut thrust.

inding wheel; It comprises a base of the or brac et portion 10 secured to the table as by the clamp 11 and fscrew12. This member 14 and outer steady rest block 15. .Member 14 is provided with the guideways' 13 on which are slidably-mounted the lower. steady rest s5 In the drawings in which similar chara'.c-- ters of reference are employed to denote cor responding parts throughout the several,

' intermediate lug 19. At 20 are supported ing parts when the sameare is pivoted to ear 24 on event has a yoke portion as at adjusting rod 27. The other end of this red member 14, the

" tained in the groove ing wheel itself is disposed. Member on the contrary supports a roller 17 rotatable as on spindle l8 and engaging the work at substantially a diagonally opposite point from the point of engagement of the grinding 1 Wheel. therewith. I

It will be noted that both of these members for sliding movement on the main baseor bracket 10, while to limit said movement the bracket is provided with the lug 19 projecting intermediate parts 14 and '15. This lug ,serves as an abutment for springs 20 and 21 contained in sockets 22 and- 23 respectively of the members 14 and 15. These compression springs therefore serve to urge said last mentioned member in a diother and'from the the same time they of the work steadypositioned to rection away from each resist general movement function in unison." To obtain cooperative functioning of the work contacting members 16 and 17 there block 15 an actuating lever 25, which may be eithermanually or automatically actuated. This lever in either, .26, receiving.

is engaged in guide lug 28 depending from lug and guide rod being con- 29 of member. 10, intermediate the ways 13. I j I At its outer end the rod 27 is threaded to receive the adjusting nuts;30. These nuts by back and forth adjustment serve to impart an in and out movement to the member 14 with respect to the lever and thus with respect to the member 17, carrying this lever. I In the form of invention shown in Figures 1 and 2 the pivot car 24 has ah extension as at 31 to which is pivoted the handle 32 having acam head 33 for cooperationwith lever 25. Consequently, on depression or downward rocking of handle 32 the-cam will force in- Wardly or toward the grinding wheel the up: per end of lever 25. This in 'ro cking will tend: to shift rodf27 and consequently member 14 outwardly, until shoe 16 is brought into con-' tact with work piece C. Continuation of 'movement or the same movement will cause a balanced action between members 14 and 15, in that the fulcra 26 and 33' are jointly movable in opposite directions depending on whether member 14 or 15 meets with greater resistance to movement. The tightening action of the cam lever tl refore tends to shift both of these members and press the contact shoes 16 and 17 with equal pressure against substantially opposite sides of the work piece C. Consequently, these members are in effect clamped against-the work piece the springs 20 and- 21 bein compressed as this action takes place. The general friction of the parts combined with the resistance of present mechanism is a floating -34 or-weight may -tion 36, depending of cylinder38, carried by bracket 39', 'depend-.

the springs tends to hold the steady rest mechanism as an entirety against motion, although if suflicient resistanee be encountered it is capable of ayielding'action with the work piece and subsequent return to its initial position.

' From this it will be seen that in effect the steadying device bracingthe work positively'against downward springing movement throng combined action of members 16 and 17 and holdingit against-springing movement away from the grinding wheel to the extent of frictional reslstance and resistance of spring 20,

the latter forcing ltself-into its normal balanced condition when the undue pressure is withdrawn. o

It will be understood with the mechanism just described that the downward swinging of handle 32 maybe effected either as a continuous manual'proposition orthat a spring as the diameter of the work piece de'cjreases.

. In Figures Band 4have been illustrated a. i

mg position'in place of-an upstanding one.

hthe' be-utili'zed to supply a con- -tinuing pressure to take up the slack or play At its lower .end,it is formed with a pin por-- through a'slot in the wall ing from member 15-. .Thispin fits within the diagonal slot '40' ofthe double end. piston member 41 which is slidablein the cylinder and held against rotation as by screw 42,- engaged in groove '43Jofthe piston. ,This piso ay to valve 45;.

arid at the same time to connect the opposite be; actuated as .by compressed air or other fluid supplied; from pressure-line 44' This valve mayibe settqc'onnect either line 46 ,or 47 with the pressureline 44- linewith the exhaust port48. The valve has. a manually actuable handle portion- 49.

use, pressure is introduced throughline 44,;

valve 45 and line 46 to the right hand end of the cylinder, tending to 'shift the'piston' to,

the left. As the piston is so shifted, slot 40 Q will-tend'to cam outwardly pin 36 and thus to rock lever 35.-

This action draws rod 27 outward and pushes member 15' inward, so that the parts are brought into proper clam-ping supporting. engagement withthe work. Inasmuch as the pressure may be kept constant irrespective of the movementof the piston, this means that a continuous even pres sure will be exerted against lever 35, tending 1n proper'work engaging position so long as the -If' desired, to limit the possible inward forcing,

to maintain the two work'steadyingshoes line 46 is coupled with the pressure line.

of the workfste'adying members, use may be made of the; abutment screw 50 adapted to contact with the end of the piston 41 limiting its movement in an actuating direction. v

I .While the parts are thus operating, the position of the valve will be as shown in Figure 4, it being understood that when the valve is reversed, line 47 will be connected. with' pressure line 44, causing a reversal of the piston, while the compressed airor the like therein is allowed to escape through port 48.

In Figure 5 has been shown a slightly modified form of the inventionin which in addition to the adjustment of member 14, possible, due to the threading of rod 27 and the nuts.

30 which serve therefor initially to vary the position of the memberl l and consequently the final effective positlon of both members,

7 the member has been provided, corresponding to member 15, with the difl'ere'nce. that it is made in two parts, the basal portion'55 and the supplemental slide section 56, carrying a roller 57 corresponding to roller 17. This slide/however, is adjustable relative to the support portion 55 as by the screw 58, so that it is capable of in and out initial move- "ment relative to the work piece. This struc- 'ture makes it possible to accommodate agreater varietyof sizes of workpieces with a single mechanism, than were possible if all such adjustments .had to be mademerely by shifting of positionof the nuts 30'. In addition, longer springs 60 and 61 have been employed to take care of: greater possible range of floating movement of the device as an entirety or of. individual adjustment of the; member I l-as may be .desired.-

From theforegoing description taken connection with the accompanying drawings,

the construction and advantages of the present improved steady rest mechanism should exerted not positively in aLdirection opposi ng the grinding wheel, but yieldingly opposing the grindingwheel through the use of interposed springs 20 or 60', combined with a take-up of the generalpressure against. the

. work itself, so that the member'17 may be firmly heldvup, against the work, without an I v undue springing thereofas would take place were a resisting pressure not applied through member 16. It will further be seen that by 0' the mechanism provided this pressure maybe kept substantially continuous and constant during any desired stock removal from the work piece, so that the work piece at all times will be properly supported against either ver-- tical or lateral sprlnging during'grinding.

In Figure 6 the grinding'machine illusis a continuous direct relativefeeding movement of the grinding wheel B and the work,

so that there is a continuous even pressure of the work toward the steady rest.

For most eflicient grindingthe steadyv rest here illustrated is shown as provided with a specialattaching clamp 62 permitting of an in and out movement of the steady rest mechanism with respect to the. supporting table A. This may be conveniently effected as by the ,trated is of the plunge cut type in which there swivel or adjusting screw 63 carried by the steady rest bracket and engaged in the bed.

This movementv shifts the steady rest "asan entirety on the inclined upper face 64 of the table, thus raising or lowering it with respect to the center line of the grinding Wheel to best accommodate difl'eringwork pieces.

In addition, to formthe work rest, slide 65- hasjournalled therein the cylindrical rod' 66 maybe shifted through slot 68 of member 65.

' This varies the point of engagement of the slotted to receive the work rest blade 67, which angle top 69 of the work rest with the work.

'The adjustment may besuitably effected as by formation of a pinion portibn 70 on member 66,.meshing with worm 71, carried by support .65. A knurled head 72- facilitates rotation of the worm and thus adjustment of the positionofthe work rest blade 69; Similarly, there is opposed to'the work rest the work engaging roller 17 j ournalled in bracket 73- which is verticall'fad'justable as by screw 7 4 with respect to the block or column 75. This member 7 5 is mounted for in and out adof the work engaging roller asby screw 77. By reference to this figure it will therefore be .seenthat the' customa'ry actuating lever 25 may be suitably operated as in the other forms of thejinvention to force members'17 and 69 respectively one toward the other for proper workengagement. To perfect the engaging points of these members with the work as for grinding of dilferent materials, work pieces having unround condition or; the

like, the angle of the restitself may be varied, changing its point of engagement with the periphery of the work nd' the in and'out position and vertical position of contact roll 17 may also be controlled. Incidentally, the

100. j ustment with respect to the main support 7 6.?

positionof the fixture as an entirety as re spects the horizontal plane of the grinding wheel may be altered by rotation of screw 63. These features are of particular importance in connection w th the-infeed or plunge cut Z method of grinding as accomplished by the machine'shown in Figure 6, for example;

In theinfeed or plunge cut ,method'o'f grinding the grinding wheel and work being ground; are brought into contact through either the infeed movement of the grinding wheel unit or that of the work sustaining unit, ordinarily without relative traversing moveof the work and grindingwheel.

I givehigher production, and the proper. syn- -When work is'placed between centers to be ground, it is generally assumed that the centers do not-spring away from the grinding wheel when the pressures build up from the 5 action of the grinding wheel. Springage of the work centers does occur and prevails until the infeed rate ceases, after which the centers tend to resume their normal position, creating an observable condition, known as the sparking out interval. This interval length is determined by the stability .of the centers and other structural and operating conditions of the grinding machine. The 'work itself on the centers tends to spring away from the grinding wheel, and tends to set up or build up vibration, that manifests itself in the finish secured on the work, and also tends to break down the grinding wheel, with a resultingtapering or out. of round condition of the work. The backrest will be utilized to spring the work inbeyond the normal alignment produced by the dead centers. This springage can be progressive thru the stock removal 'perio or loaded up. to a stop on the backrest acco ding to the nature of the work. As the grin ing progresses, and eventually the infeed c ses, the backrest ceasesto function, the centers tend to resume their. normal alignment and the work takes a final rounding up on dead centers. The higher infeed rate that i will be allowable when using the backrest will chronizing of backrest. stop and infeed stop will cause a proper resumption ofdead center alignment, 7 resulting in a much shorter sparking out interval-and better rounding up of the work.

- One of the prime considerations in producing mostaccurate work inaccordance with the foregoing is that there be a proper angular relationship. between the radial lines drawn perpendicular to'the points of contact of the grinding wheel, theroller back rest and the blade rest. I The intersection of these radial lines approximates the center of the work, and the angular relation that exists introduction or' elimination of chatter on the rounding up of work and on light lines on the finished work. The most desirablecondition is that in which a maximum number of revo-' lutions'of work will be required before the cycle of contacts repeat.

e With the structure just described these '1. A steadyrest mechanism, including a between hem has a material influence on the supporting member, a steady rest shoe carried thereby having an angle top work engaging surface for line contact with the work atone side of the axis thereof, and a contact roller also carried thereby and positioned to axis thereof.

2. A steady rest mechanism, including a. support, a pairof slides carried thereby, work engaging members on the slides, conengage the work at the opposite side of the I ncctions between the slides for adjusting theirposition with respectto .eachother, and

automatic means for effecting such adjustment.

3. A steady support, a pairo rest mechanism, including a f slides carried thereby,

work. engaging members on-the slides, connections between the slides for adjusting their position with respect to each other, au-

tomatic means for effecting-such adjustment, and .additional manually actuable means for varying the relative position of the work engaging members.

4. A mechanism of the character described, including a work engaging shoe and a spaced work engaging roller, and means for jointly urging said parts against opposite sides of a work piece whereby tain constant contact with the work piece during the removal of stock therefrom, and

the part will mainmeans sub-tending the work engaging shoe for rigidly steadyingthe-same against displacement in a direction transverse to the work engaging urge therof. v

5. A device of the character described, including a supporting portion, apair'of slides mounted thereon, and movable relative thereto, and to eaeh other, means interconnecting the slides for relatively shifting the same,

and resilient means for resisting joint movement of the slides with respect to the support. 6. -A mechanism of the character described, including a supporting portion, slides mounted thereon for joint or -inde-' pendent movement, a lever .pivoted to one of the slides, connections between theleve-r and the other of the slides, means for rocking the lever to adjust the relative-positionof the slides and means for adjusting the effective connection between slide.

the lever and said other.

a. pair .of'

7. A mechanism of the character described.

slides, connections other of the slides, and automatic means'for including a supporting portion, a pair of rocking the lever to adjust the relative posi-w tion of the slides and means for resisting bodily movement of the slide members and actuating lever as a unitary entity.

' 8. A steady rest mechanism, including a support, and a pair of opposed relativelyadjustable work engaging membersv carried thereby, and a single means for constantly urging the members toward each other with a constant pressure and means for relatively adjusting the efi'ective distancebetween said work engaging members without variance in the pressure urge thereof.

9. A steadyrest mechanism, including a support, a pair of-opposed work engaging of a work piece, and means for jointly'actunections.

ating the work engaging membersone toward the other with a constant and uniform pressure, said means including shiftable eon-' nectionsbetween the members and a pressure actuated piston for shifting saidcon- 10. A mechanism of the "character de scribed, including a support, a pair of spaced W ,rk engaging members carried thereby and a apted to receive a work piece therebetween,

m ns'supporting said members for indepen ent movement relative to the support, interconnectin means for shifting the work engaging mem ers toward each other to, grip a work piece therebetween,. and yieldable connections between the members and the support for resisting the joint floatingmove- I ment of the members on the support,

11'. A steady rest mechanism including a work supporting blade having an angled work engaging surface, and means for varya ing the angular relationship of the work and supporting'surface' of the blade.

12. A back rest of the character des'cribedf including'a work rest blade and an opposed work engaging roller,and'means for vertically and laterally adjusting one ofasaid parts with res ect to the other. i I 7 1 3.. A ack rest of the character described, 'including a work rest blade and an opposed work engaging roller, means for'vertically and laterally adjustingone of said parts with respect tothe' other, and additional means for varying the angular relationship of said parts.

14. The combination with a grinding machine including'a grinding wheel anda'werk supporting table, of a steady rest 'mechanlsm for application to the table including a bed portion having slide ways formed thereon,

. a pair of slide members'carried by the ways' and'each provided'with a work rest member one of which is designed to project 1ntermediate the grinding wheel and axis of' the work-and the other at a point in substantially diametrical opposition to the grinding wheel, means for positively urging the two .work rest members one toward the other to clamp the work piece therebetween whereby the one rest 'will support the work against Y the cut pressure of the grinding wheel andwill hold the other rest against the work in resistance to the feed pressure of said wheel, and means for yieldingly resisting movement of the combined work engaging members as a unit either toward or from the grind ing wheel.

1,5. The combination with a grinding machine including a grinding wheel and a work supporting table, of a steady rest mechanism for application to the table including a bed portion having slide Ways for-med thereon, a

pair ofslide members carried by the'ways and each provided with'a work rest member one of which is designed to project inter mediate the grinding wheel and axis of the work and the other at a point in substantially diametrical opposition tothe grinding wheel,- means for positively urging'the two work rest members one toward the "other to clamp the work piece therebetween whereby the one a rest will support'the work against the cut 7 pressure of the grinding wheel and will hold the other rest against the work in resistance to the feed pressure of said wheel, means for yieldingly resisting movement of the .com-

bined work engaging members as a unit either toward or from thegrin'ding wheel, the ways of said bed portion extending directly beneath the inner work engaging member to provide a positive and nonyielding support therefore in thedirection of cut pressure.

16. The combination with a grinding machine including ai grinding wheel for opera tion upon. work and a work carrying table disposed in opposition thereto, of a steady rest bed member for application tothe table.

having elongated guide ways extending transversely thereof, aligned slide members mounted on the guide ways and rigidly held thereby for in and out movement, means cos operating with the bed member for individually. urging the work supports away from each other, said means determining the inoperatlve position of-the'slides with respect to the supporting bed, and a common means for urging the slides one toward the other to suitably engage and support a work piece.

17 The combination witha grinding machine including-a grinding wheel for operation uponwork and'a worki'carrying table disposed in opposition thereto, of a steadyrestbed member for application to the-table having trelongated guide ways extending transversely thereof, aligned slide members mountedon the guide ways and rigidly held I thereby-for in and out movement, means 00- operating with the bed member for individually urging the work supports away from each other, said means determining the inoperative position of the slides with respect to the supporting bed, and a common means for urging the slides one toward the other to suitably engage and support a work pie ing member with respect to the other;

T 18. In combination. with a grinding machine including'a grinding wheel and a work supporting table disposed in opposition thereto, a stead rest mechanism for application to the tab e including a bedqportion, a slide carried thereby and provided with a work rest blade disposed substantially at right angles to the sliding support, therefore, a second slide carried by the bed, a work engaging roller carried by the second slide for cooperation with the work rest blade inenaglng a work piece on the table, means .for

ointly urglng the roller and blade toward each other to clamp a workpiece in the trough therebetween and resilient means for the device as a unit in posit-ionon urge the two work contacting members into their joint actuator.

'19. The combination with grinding ma- 1 chine including a grinding wheel and a work supporting member disposed in opposition to the grinding wheel, of a steady rest mechanism including a work supporting blade I adapted to be positioned adjacent the grind ing wheel and a roller adapted to bepositioned to engage the work at a point remote from the grinding wheel, said parts being arranged to form a two point contact trough for reception of the work,means for varying the effective Width of the throat to correspondingly engage work pieces thereon, and additional means for automatically varying the width of said throat to compensate for stock removal on' a work piece disposed therewith.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

' BERNARD A. KEARNS.

difierentdiameters of 

